How Winnipeg is built
- Before 1961 37%
- 1961–1990 40%
- 1991–2000 6%
- 2001 or later 17%
What an evaluation finds in Winnipeg homes
Of Winnipeg's 202,915 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 37% were built before 1961 and 77% before 1991, according to the 2021 Census. The typical Winnipeg house dates from 1961–1970, and an evaluation is how you find out what that means for yours: the blower door measures air leakage, the advisor inspects the attic, walls, basement, windows and heating system, and the report ranks upgrades by what they'd save.
Winnipeg gets about 5,542 heating degree-days a year, a measure of how much heating its climate needs, and its winter design temperature, the cold day heating systems are sized for, is −31.3°C. Those figures come from the climate data for Winnipeg International in HOT2000, the home-energy software Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) gives energy advisors. That's the 6th-highest heating demand of the 70 cities we cover. Cold winters: heating is the biggest energy cost, so stopping leaks and insulating come first.
Winnipeg also gets hot spells and heat waves, so plan how the house will stay cool: air sealing, attic insulation and shading help, and a heat pump adds efficient cooling. Wildfire smoke reaches Winnipeg in some summers. The Government of Canada's advice is to keep windows and doors closed, limit exhaust fans and use the best filter your system can handle, so ask the advisor what your furnace or HRV can take.
In the Winnipeg area, 66% of households heat mainly with a forced-air furnace, 12% with electric baseboards and about 7% with a boiler and radiators; natural gas is the main heating energy for 56% of households and electricity for 27% (Statistics Canada, 2023). The heating system on the report shapes the recommendations: a forced-air furnace invites a ducted heat pump, electric baseboards a ductless one.
What it costs in Winnipeg
Efficiency Manitoba rebates $400 on a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation if you own the home, it has Manitoba Hydro residential service and you plan at least one upgrade within 12 months. Apply within 90 days.
Most providers quote the initial (pre-upgrade) and follow-up (post-upgrade) visits separately. Rebate programs that pay on measured improvement need both, so ask for the combined price.
How a home energy assessment (EnerGuide evaluation) works
- Initial evaluation, about 2–3 hours. The advisor measures and inspects the house and runs the blower door test.
- Report and EnerGuide rating. You get the home's energy rating in gigajoules per year and a list of recommended upgrades with estimated savings.
- Do the work. Most rebate programs only count upgrades done after the initial evaluation.
- Follow-up evaluation. A second visit measures the improvement, which is what most rebates pay on.
Prairies Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
Winnipeg’s climate: Prairies
Long, very cold, very dry winters: air sealing, radon testing and humidity balance lead.
Heating is the big bill here: winters are long and very dry, and cold snaps reach −30°C to −35°C. Radon is common, and electricity prices vary widely between provinces, which changes what pays back. An EnerGuide evaluation should focus on air sealing, attic and basement insulation, a radon test and safe humidity levels.
In Winnipeg: Winnipeg has some of the deepest cold we cover, with about 43 days a year of wind chill below −30, plus humid summers that make cooling worthwhile. Electricity is cheap (about 10.5¢/kWh), so a cold-climate heat pump can do more of the heating here.
Seal the top and bottom of the house
In deep cold, warm air rises and escapes through attic leaks while cold air is pulled in down low. Sealing both saves heat and helps prevent attic frost and ice dams.
Test every home for radon
The 2024 national survey found about 1 in 3 homes at or above Health Canada's guideline in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and just over 1 in 6 in Alberta.
Balance dry air against condensation
Winter air is extremely dry, but humidifying too much frosts windows and can wet walls and attic sheathing. The colder it gets outside, the lower indoor humidity must be.
When to book: Book the evaluation between November and March, when cold weather makes air leaks and missing insulation easy to see. Start a 3-month radon test in the heating season, and check the attic after a cold spell.
Everything homes in Winnipeg need →
Sources for this climate guide · checked October 26, 2026
- National Building Code of Canada 2020, climate data (NRC)
- Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (ECCC)
- Keeping the Heat In (NRCan)
- Air-Source Heat Pump Sizing and Selection Guide (NRCan)
- Heating and Cooling With a Heat Pump (NRCan)
- Heat pumps, Canada Greener Homes (NRCan)
- Gas and heat pump hybrid systems (NRCan)
- Primary heating systems by household, Table 38-10-0286-01 (Statistics Canada)
- Electricity price comparison, April 2025 (Hydro-Québec)
- 2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Exposure
- Guide for Radon Measurements in Homes (Health Canada)
- Canada's top weather stories of 2021 (ECCC)
- Canada's most impactful weather stories of 2024 (ECCC)
- Canada's top weather stories of 2025 (ECCC)
- Conditions for thermal scans, ASTM C1060 summary (Cx Associates)
- Canada's top weather stories of 2022 (ECCC)
NRCan-licensed service organizations serving Winnipeg
A service organization is a company that Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) licenses to deliver EnerGuide evaluations; its registered energy advisors do the home visit. Every organization below is licensed by NRCan to deliver EnerGuide evaluations and lists Winnipeg postal codes. Coverage is the share of Winnipeg's urban postal areas each one lists.
- CoEfficient Building Science
- Energy Werx Profile
- EnerQuality
- EnerSolution Profile
- Green Think
- Greenbrain Profile
- NRG Inspections and Consulting
- prairieHOUSE Performance
- The Energuy Profile
- Buildingexpert
- Isle Energy Consulting
- Sensible Home Inspection
Rebates and financing an evaluation unlocks in Winnipeg
Home energy audit in Winnipeg: common questions
How much does a home energy audit cost in Winnipeg?
Efficiency Manitoba rebates $400 on a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation if you own the home, it has Manitoba Hydro residential service and you plan at least one upgrade within 12 months. Apply within 90 days.
How many companies do EnerGuide evaluations in Winnipeg?
NRCan's list of service organizations shows 12 licensed organizations with Winnipeg postal codes (checked September 25, 2026).
How long does an EnerGuide evaluation take?
The initial visit usually takes two to three hours, including the blower door test. The follow-up visit after upgrades is shorter.
Does an energy audit help with summer heat in Winnipeg?
Yes. The advisor's upgrade list covers air sealing, attic insulation and windows, which slow summer heat gain as well as winter heat loss, and the evaluation's measurements are the starting point for sizing a heat pump that also cools.
Which rebates need an EnerGuide evaluation in Manitoba?
Currently: Efficiency Manitoba home rebates ($400 back on your EnerGuide evaluation, $100 per triple-pane window or door, up to $2,000 for a cold-climate heat pump, and insulation rebates by R-value). Check the program page for current terms before you book.